As part of Hong Kong’s initiative to develop into an international hub for post-secondary education, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced the creation of the Study in Hong Kong brand in his 2024 Policy Address. Aligned with the goal of strengthening this brand and boosting international education exchange, a series of flagship events, including the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education 2026 Conference and Exhibition and the International Forum of the Alliance of Universities of Applied Sciences, were held recently by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and various institutions.
The hosting of such high-level events establishes a long-term mechanism to enhance Hong Kong’s global influence, consolidating its status as an international education hub.
Hong Kong’s universities enjoy worldwide acclaim, with five ranked among the world’s top 100 and Asia’s top 20, based on the QS World University Rankings 2026 and the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026. In 2025, Hong Kong occupied the top four positions in the THE’s World’s Most International Universities list. This high degree of internationalization is reflected not only in rankings but also in the composition of faculty and students: One in every four students in Hong Kong is from outside the city, while the proportion for academic staff reaches approximately 70 percent. This concentration of global talent provides a solid foundation for deep cooperation with global institutions across undergraduate, postgraduate, and research fields, demonstrating a robust capacity to attract global talent.
Hong Kong’s recently released 2026-27 Budget highlights strategic investments in education, reaffirming its commitment to developing into an international education and high-end talent hub. The government regards the integrated development of education, technology, and talent as the foundational pillar of competitiveness. The total expenditure on education for the fiscal year 2026-27 amounts to HK$112 billion ($14.3 billion), accounting for approximately 13.3 percent of total government expenditure, with recurrent expenditure reaching HK$102.3 billion. The government has established a dedicated Study in Hong Kong task force with an allocation of HK$40 million to bolster global promotion. Simultaneously, the government is spearheading the Study Tour in Hong Kong brand, encouraging institutions to utilize idle resources during summer breaks to develop high value-added study-tour projects. These efforts, supported by Hong Kong’s economic and trade offices overseas, help broaden student recruitment channels and facilitate overseas publicity. Furthermore, the government has earmarked HK$2 billion to support digital education in primary and secondary schools and will publish the Digital Education Development Blueprint for Primary and Secondary Schools later in 2026. This will cover the artificial intelligence literacy learning framework and teacher training to ensure Hong Kong’s talent pipeline aligns with future digital trends. At the basic education level, the government also allows Direct Subsidy Scheme schools to increase the proportion of nonlocal students and has issued the Code of Practice for Private Schools to enhance educational quality and management standards across the board.
Hong Kong has become a popular destination for outstanding global students and researchers, contributing to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a talent hub
In expanding global collaborative networks, Hong Kong plays a significant role as an academic bridge between East and West. To date, Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee-funded (UGC-funded) universities have signed over 2,700 exchange agreements with global institutions. In the 2024-25 academic year, approximately 65 percent of inbound exchange students originated from Europe and North America. At the research level, UGC-funded universities are involved in over 7,000 collaborative projects with local and overseas institutions, of which about half are in partnership with Chinese mainland institutions, while 40 percent involve institutions in Europe and North America. This two-way collaborative relationship enables Hong Kong to play a pivotal role as a hub for knowledge and innovation. In recent years, while deepening engagement with the mainland and traditional Western markets, Hong Kong has also actively expanded cooperation with institutions based in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Belt and Road Initiative-participating countries, Africa, Central America and South America, constructing a global education cooperation map. This high degree of internationalization significantly consolidates Hong Kong’s position as a core node for East-West academic integration.
The Northern Metropolis University Town will open a new chapter in the synergy between education and industry.
The planned education town will provide much-needed spatial expansion for local institutions and possess a natural advantage for deep industry-education integration because of its proximity to Shenzhen. According to the latest Budget, the government will soon release three sites within the Northern Metropolis University Town for the development of UGC-funded universities and universities of applied sciences. A loan of HK$10 billion has been reserved to support construction. In future, the government will encourage Hong Kong institutions to collaborate with renowned local and overseas universities to establish research institutes and joint laboratories within the university town, fostering long-term and influential partnerships. This will enable Hong Kong to truly serve as a springboard for students to access the mainland and the Asia-Pacific region, opening new pathways for regional cooperation.
With multicultural inclusiveness and close synergy with the mainland, Hong Kong will continue to elevate its international standing in education and academic research. Under the unique “one country, two systems” framework, Hong Kong has become a popular destination for outstanding global students and researchers, contributing to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as a talent hub.
The author is a member of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and founder and chairman of the One Country Two Systems Youth Forum.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
